I'm a definite buy for this book. Used some Homonculus goodness last night to add a lot of character to an underdark floating magic item market. . . And one of my players spent 10,000 gp on a somewhat buggy headband of charisma. . . another Pett creation . . .

Just placed my order for this. I'm a big fan of Rich's work and after being able to converse with him a bit on Zombie Sky Press's "It Came from the Stars" patron project, I'm glad to learn that he's also a really nice guy. I mean, he's still a demented, baby unicorn killing guy, but if can get past that, he's a good guy.

This is an awesome book for any GM looking to inject life (and some humor) into their games.
I believe it is best suited for GM's who design/run custom world settings, but there's treasures to be had for the pure canon judges as well!

I'm also looking forward to having my copy signed in July.
(might have to p/u a second copy-this one is going to get some use)

In chapter books like this, you want new chapters to start on a right-hand page. It's the place the eye naturally falls first when turning pages in a book. Sometimes that results in an occasional blank left-hand page (or more accurately, a blank side of a left-hand page) directly preceding a new chapter. It's actually pretty common in book publishing.

It made me very happy to see the homunculus rise up into the Paizo top ten best sellers, please do keep up the support so Wolfgang will supply me with more kittens and baby unicorns.

For those who aren't familiar with the homunculus, it tries to put a 'what!' moment in a GM's adventures, gives a sideways look at rules and generally tries to put the cat amongst the pigeons, giving a twisted look at gaming.

Here's a small snippet of one of the more recent editions, the first 20 of 100 endings to conversations to give you an idea:

Paranoia is a strange thing.

Gather Information checks are not only useful, but they can be fun. As well as the usual gathering of useful knowledge and tidbits of information, when your players fail their checks, you might have them gather misinformation and nonsense. Having the odd red herring and local topic of conversation can, as we have discussed before, also help to establish reality in a setting or maybe throw an adventure in a totally new and unexpected direction.

In urban settings and places such as taverns, temples, and markets, Perception checks can be useful to overhear local gossip, but they won’t always succeed. Perhaps the PC stalking the swarthy green merchant does not hear him talking to his accomplices, but overhears Reg and Torrid the local pig-breeders having a tiff or exchanging tittle-tattle.

Here’s a list of one-liners and snippets to throw at your players when they make erroneous checks in such situations, when they pass locals engaged in conversation, or when they interrupt a conversation to ask questions. These indicate the end of conversations. How that conversation began is left to you.

1. “…says all the strangers are cursed and don’t know it.”

2. “…with a dead eel.”

3. “…it’s the same sword that last hero had with him—the cursed one that stabbed him whilst he slept.”

4. “…also with fur.”

5. “…not wearing anything except his fez.”

6. “…I don’t think they know.”

7. “…is she the one?”

8. “…six kobolds, an owlbear, and a mated pair of squid.”

9. “…buried in the old meadow with his valuables.”

10. “…and a pound of pilchards.”

11. “…Xontor, the Lord of Endlessly Devouring Chaos.”

12. “…watch out, here they are now.”

13. “…heard they’re going to be dead by morning.”

14. “…the ugly one is standing right behind you.”

15. “…I’m not sure they make them that large.”

16. “…I think he’s listening.”

17. “…so that’s what he said he’d heard about the strangers.”

18. “…the one with the bad breath.”

19. “…giants will be here by morning.”

20. “…they have it with them.”

If it makes the top 5 Wolfgang has promised me a baby flumph to torment - huzzah!